Police receive dozens of calls after 4.0 earthquake rattles through Tri-Town area

Wednesday

Oct 17, 2012 at 12:01 AMOct 17, 2012 at 5:19 PM

A 4.0 magnitude earthquake rattled through the Tri-Town area around 7:12 p.m. on Tuesday, causing concerned residents to call the police and share observations on Facebook.

Kate Evans/Kevans@wickedlocal.com

A 4.0 magnitude earthquake rattled through the Tri-Town area around 7:12 p.m. on Tuesday, causing concerned residents to call the police and share observations on Facebook.

The Boxford Police Department received 53 calls, the Topsfield Police received roughly 15 to 20 calls and Middleton Police received 10 or 12 calls, confirmed the police departments.

The earthquake’s epicenter was reported by the Associated Press to have been a few miles west of Hollis Center, Maine. The quake was originally estimated to be a 4.6 magnitude, but was then lowered.

Twenty-six locals went straight to their computers and responded to the Tri-Town Transcript’s Facebook question, “Did anyone notice a strange shaking just now?”

“Yes, right here in Boxford,” responded Carrie Rafferty. “Dishes rattling, the couch shaking, and the water in the sink making waves!”

Linda Greenstein of West Boxford wrote that her whole house shook. Dorothy Baker of Middleton chimed in that her house shook, too. Katie Glynn of Topsfield felt the quake, while Topsfield’s Suzanne Berti did not.

“It was very strange and scary,” said Middleton resident Karina Pazdziorny.

Debi Paisley of West Boxford also experienced the shake. Not expecting any damage from her “good old 1866 field stone foundation,” Paisley added, “Just our windows rattled!”

Boxford resident Nancy Clinton may not have felt the shake, but she definitely heard it.

“[I] experienced it as a sound, like a low ‘large truck engine’ rumble,” wrote Clinton.

The Middleton callers did not come from one set area in town, confirmed Police Chief James DiGianvittorio. “Some felt the rumbles, others heard a large, loud noise and didn’t feel anything so it was pretty sporadic,” said DiGianvittorio.

Despite the momentary scare, no damage has yet been reported as a result of the quake.